Washington, Jan. 9 (SANA) The United States has welcomed the ceasefire announced by Syria’s Ministry of Defense in the neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, and Bani Zaid in the city of Aleppo.
In a post on the social media platform X, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Washington “warmly welcomes” the truce reached overnight in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh, praising what he described as restraint and good faith shown by all sides involved. He expressed gratitude to the Syrian government, the SDF, local authorities, and community leaders for facilitating the pause in fighting.
Barrack said the ceasefire could help open the door to sustained calm and broader dialogue, adding that cooperation remains essential to steering Syria and the wider region toward security and lasting peace. While acknowledging that challenges remain, he emphasized that shared interests favor cooperation over further confrontation.
He also noted that efforts are underway to extend the ceasefire beyond its initial deadline of 9 a.m. on Friday.
“We are working diligently to extend this truce and the spirit of understanding beyond the set deadline of nine o’clock this morning,” Barrack said.
Syria’s Ministry of Defense announced late Thursday that the ceasefire would take effect from 3 a.m. until 9 a.m. local time on Friday, aimed at ending military status in the affected areas and restoring the rule of law and the authority of state institutions.
